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 The Warriors, the top-seeded team in the playoffs after compiling
the best record in the regular season, won the best-of-seven
championship series 4-2.
NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Andre Iguodala, who had not started
all season until Game Four of the Finals, and Stephen Curry each had
25 points for Golden State, while James again led the way for the
injury-hit Cavaliers with a game-high 32 points.
"I've seen this on TV so many times, dreaming about what it would be
like to pour champagne on yourself and when that moment comes and
I'm holding the trophy, champagne is falling on my face, that's when
it all sinks in that this is real," said Curry.
"Best champagne I've ever had in my life."
Golden State became the first team since the 1991 Chicago Bulls to
win the NBA title with a roster absent any previous finals
experience.
For James, who averaged 35.8 points per game, 13.3 rebounds and 8.8
assists in the Finals despite playing with an injury-hit team, the
loss dropped the greatest player of his generation to 2-4 all-time
in the NBA's championship series.
"When you fall short, it hurts and it eats at you, and it hurts me
to know that I wish I could have done better and done more and just
put a little more effort or whatever the case may be to help us get
over the hump," said James.
"But it just wasn't our time."
Having trailed by 13 points late, the Cavaliers pulled to within
four in the final minute, reigniting a home crowd that had been
silenced moments earlier, but the Warriors held firm to clinch the
title.
In the end, injuries to All Star point guard Kyrie Irving and
forward Kevin Love were too much for the Cavs to overcome.
"We never asked for sympathy when they went down. We never made an
excuse, and I certainly won't do that now," said Cavs coach David
Blatt.
"We played our hearts out. The Warriors were better. Those guys will
get healthy, and we'll come back after it next season."
COSTLY TURNOVERS
Cleveland opened the game with a 7-2 run to whip an anxious home
crowd into a frenzy but Golden State weathered the storm with a
solid finish to the opening quarter to build a 28-15 lead.
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After a quiet start to the game, James helped Cleveland narrow the
gap with a three-pointer from the corner as part of his team's 11-4
run to open the second quarter.
Cleveland, despite a slew of turnovers, battled mightily throughout
the second before finally cutting the deficit to two points when
Tristan Thompson slammed down a put-back dunk as time expired in the
first half.
The Cavaliers carried momentum into the early moments of the second
half where they moved in front for the first time since early in the
game but the Warriors responded brilliantly with an 8-0 run that
forced the Cavaliers to call a timeout.
Golden State, powered by Iguodala, then built a game-high 15-point
lead with a minute left in the third.
The Cavaliers came out hard in the fourth quarter and showed they
were ready for a fight when James forced a turnover before racing
down the court for a dunk. His basket capped an 8-0 run that put
Cleveland within seven points with 10 minutes to play.
But from there the Warriors used a barrage of three-pointers to hold
the Cavaliers, who were largely undone by 19 turnovers in the game.
"To win a title there's obviously a lot of work, but a lot of luck
as well, and we had a lot of luck on our side this year," said
Warriors coach Steve Kerr. "And our guys took advantage of it, and
they were fantastic.
"But man, what a night."
(Editing by Andrew Both/Peter Rutherford)
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